The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-08-11
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have TO Say About
Their Old Campaigns

signal Corps Comradc Tells Something About
Con. GrHni.

A signal CORPS Comradc Tells Something About
Goa. GrHHt.
EDIr0R NATIoNAL TRIBUNE: The article Of
COmrade Parcels referring % the battle oi
North Anna River, calls 60 mind pors0nal
rominisconcc Of Gen Grant The writer, AS
member Of the signal Corpa WIS on duty az
the signal station at Gen. Meadr's headquar
ters. The afternoon ia question Gems. Grant
and Meade, with their stalls and escorts, were
proceeding toward the North Anna, when they
met few miles from that place Assistant Sec
rotary OF War Dana and party, who had just
arrived from Washington with dispatches from
the War Department. mail for headquarters
and few newspapers
"A halt was called at a large plantation house
near b.. There was large yard surrounding
the house, Enclosed by board icnce The
horses were hilched 10 the fence and The officers
and men were distributed around the yard un-
der the shade OF stately elins. The Generals
aud stats were grouped at the 'front.' o. the
house, reading messages and letters, and en-
gagged IN conversation. Presently the
SOUND or cAENoSADrEG
was heard, and appeared TO be hut few miles
away. Ii was the opening Of the battle Of
North Anna River, that Comrade Parcels SO
graphically described.
After halt an hour or less Of spirited action
the artillery firing slackened, and mrsketry
could be distinctly heard. IL began with the
ordinary irregular sonnd, but gradually in
creased until il became a continuous roar the
like of which ] had not heard IN my two years
Of constant service ia the Army OF the Poto-
mac. IL was evident ca me that we should
very Soon be ON the move, aud went 60 tighten
my saddle-girth-wh ] always took the pro-
canton 70 loosen when we stopped for rest
and ret ready
While doing so some one came 20 the oppo-
site side Of the fence from whore | stood and
placed his hand upon the lence Upon looking
up 1 saw that il was Gen. Grant i had noticed
him short time before standing apart from he
rest OF the officers reading newspaper, which
he now held I'm his left hand. apparently read
ing still. could see that his eyes were not on
the paper, however. One ear was turned To-
ward the sound OF rolling mnsketry, and j
could see that
BE WAS iNTEETLY LISTENING.
After listening while he sauntered leis-
urely back, reading as he went. When he
reached the group of officers they all mounted
their horses, and were soon on the road toward
the firing i was in a position where / saw
Gen. Grant several tiuIes day through that
campaign from the Wilderness 10 Petersburg
and can say that he was the impersonation
OF imperturbabiiiiy. TO those al distance
from him al the tiHle ! mention. he seemed rs
uneOnccmed about the situation as the most
ignorant and careless private in the ranks.
Gen. Grant knew that the battle in progress
was the corps OF Warren lFifth) forcing a
passage Of the North Anna 10 strike blow
upon the flank of Lees army. that WAS
marching in parallel column on the other side.
Gen. Grant was anxiously listening 10 deter
mine by the sound which way the tide Of battle
was rolling. lie had the gift of keeping Calls
exterior when the interior WAS boiling with
the hercencss OF a warrior. 1t was this quality
of sef-coBirol that enabled Gen. Grant 70 con-
trol with the will OF giant vast armies and
with them 10
DEAL SUCH TITANIC BLOWS
that the Confederacy gradually crumbled be-
fore them. He had also the ability 10 turn
temporary disaster Into a victory, which made
him the peer Of the greatest Generals OF his
tory NO matter what the situation might be
he never lost lis head
In this connection i am reminded OF another
incident. That night army headquarters was
established across the North Anna about 20
rods in rear Of the line the Fifth Corps first
established after the enemy had been repused
While the tents were being pitched the euemy's
eharrshooters got range Of us and dropped q
few bullets into our camp Some OF them, how
ever, went humming overhead. Ii was quite
amusing % see how s0liuit0ns some of the staff
officers were for the safety OF the GeDerals.
The QuBrtermaster and Captain Of the Signal
CorIs, with Orderlies and the writer, mounted
their horses aud proceeded to
INVESTIGATES THE SITUATION.
We rode out 10 the line Of battle, that was
making preparations 10 advance, passed il and
rode toward the skirmi sh- inc which was about
40 rods IN advance Of the main line. When
about halfway out the bullets began 20 buzz
around us, some Of them striking the ground
sending mp little clouds OF dust.
Here we came mp with Col. Fisher, Chief
Signal Officer OF the Army Of the Potomac.
mounted and taking an observation from the
saddle. he ordered MS back under cover AZ
he SAID 80 many mounted men clustered To-
gether would be likely 10 draw fire from tie
enemys artillery. The Quartermaster AID
Orderlies obeyed, but the officer under whose
orders ] was acting that day kept on and AZ
be did not repeat the order 10 me, was Ia duty
bound
TO ACCOMPANY HIN.
We rode ont 10 the skirmish line and talked
with the men for a lew minutes; then the
Captain, ordering me TO follow him. rode along
the line 10 place where a narrow belt OF
woods extended across il, terminating in a
point 70 rods IN advance. We crossed thc
skirmisbJine passed through tie belt OF woods
enc RODE entirely around the poiut and back
through the line without accident What The
object Of this rash move was the writer never
could comprehend. IL is doubtful Ii the officer
himself knew. The writer was 30 augry that
he never thought Of the rebels and had ths
officer ridden into their lines lie would have
followed him there unless ordered 10 tnrf
back. u was doubtless foOlhafdv wsy of con
Vincing those anxious STAT officers lnentiones
that their ioars for the ssfcty Of the General
were groundiess.--E. s. CohN, Signal Corus
Headquarters Army Of the Potomac, Garland
Me.
1he 10th Ohio st Franklin.
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